Your Guide to SWFL Outdoor Activities

Posted on Dec 9, 2015

Are you outside more often than in? If so, Southwest Florida is the perfect place for you. The sandy shores and mangrove forests offer plenty of space for SWFL outdoor activities. Take your pick from fishing, paddling, beach bumming, hiking, bicycling, wildlife viewing and the list goes on. Southwest Florida has an activity for every outdoor adventurer. Here’s what to do and where:

Fishing

The Florida Gulf Coast boasts renowned fishing. SWFL is a fishing hot spot where you can catch snook, snapper, grouper, tuna and even sharks! For leisure fishing, visit Naples Pier where there’s no license needed. Enjoy a panoramic view of the Gulf of Mexico as you cast a line and wait for a bite. For freshwater fishing, visit the mangrove estuaries of Sanibel’s Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge. Here you’ll likely spot other wildlife while waiting for the fish to bite.

Paddling

Paddlesports abound in Southwest Florida. Getting out on the water is one of the best ways to experience Southwest Florida’s diverse ecosystems and witness exotic wildlife like alligators, manatees and wading birds. The Great Calusa Blueway, perhaps the most famous of SWFL paddle trails, hosts 190 miles of waterway for kayaking, canoeing and standup paddle boarding. If the blueway sounds too daunting, visit Manatee Park, Lover’s Key State Park or Koreshan State Historic Site. All of these offer calm waters and plenty of scenic sights.

Beach Bumming

There’s no shortage of gorgeous beaches in Southwest Florida. Take your pick from miles of white, squeaky sand along the Gulf Coast. For optimal shelling opportunities, visit Bowman’s Beach on Sanibel Island. To place yourself right in the center of the SWFL bustle, visit Fort Myers Beach, where folks go to soak up sun and ride Jetskis offshore. Or perhaps you’d prefer the scenic serenity at Barefoot Beach in Bonita Springs. To lounge under a shady palm, look no further than Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park where every sunset is astounding.

Hiking

Want to escape in nature for a while? Estero River Scrub, an extension of Estero Bay Preserve State Park, is your answer. The nature trails wind through Florida flora for almost 10 miles. Explore pine flatwoods and tidal salt flats, and keep an eye out for the endangered gopher tortoise, which frequents the trails. For a short nature walk, visit Rotary Park in Cape Coral. Entry is free, and the trail takes you past multiple scenic lookouts. Though short, this nature walk makes you feel completely removed from society.

Bicycling

Southwest Florida’s Sanibel Island is a bicyclist’s paradise. The entire island is fully equipped with family-friendly bike paths with plenty of fun stopping points. What’s more, the island is home to J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, which has four-mile and eight-mile bike loop options. During your ride, look out for alligators, wading birds and river otters scurrying across the path. Cruise all the way to Captiva, the next island over, to admire gorgeous beach houses.

Wildlife Viewing

While every park in Southwest Florida offers prime wildlife viewing opportunities, the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers exposes you to old-time, rustic Florida. Step back in time as you walk the mile-long nature trail. Along the way you’re likely to see alligators sunning on logs, boar digging their snouts into the mud and plenty of wading birds fishing for crabs. If you’re itchy to see manatees, set out to Manatee Park, where the monstrous marine mammals seek refuge during the winter months.

Camping

Cayo Costa State Park is the ideal retreat for those seeking a tranquil getaway. Only accessible by boat, Cayo Costa remains one of the most remote areas in Southwest Florida. Here you can paddle, hike and build a fire in beautiful Florida wilderness. Enjoy unprecedented views of the Florida Gulf Coast and the peaceful sounds of uninhabited subtropical terrain. You won’t regret your camping trip at Cayo Costa.

Enjoy all these SWFL outdoor activities

Make the most of all these SWFL outdoor activities by making your move to Southwest Florida. To learn more about the perfect SWFL living situation for you, contact Kim Arasimowicz of Schooner Bay Realty by clicking here or calling 239-214-1039.